Apparatus for raising and launching boats



July 1, 1958 2,841,296

QAPPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LAUNCHING BOATS Filed March 23, 1954 w. L.CROWE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mN RN: o, H .U I I M: J MW 4 m M 1 HMUNWH I IH I:HuHr m 0 M HHIHHHHI LI IH J W F m illl. Hfl HI -HH- PHNI :WI H WC 7 $Im I M. .n 1 mm i mm w. Rwy Ill ,YIII

July 1, 1958 w. L. CROWE APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LAUNCHING BOATS V 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 23, 1954 United States Patent Ofifice2,841,296 Patented July 1, 1958 APPARATUS FOR RAISING AND LAUNCHINGBOATS Walter L. Crowe, Spencer, Iowa Application March 23, 1954, SerialNo. 418,097

4 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to improvements inapparatus for use on a pier or the like to raise a boat from the waterand tilt the boat to drain water therefrom and to permit inspection ofand repairs to the hull to be made if required.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a more efficient andpractical device of this kind which is non-complex in construction,inexpensive to manufacture, and durable, and which has means enablingvertical adjustment of the height of the device relative to the pier orthe like on which it is mounted.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from aconsideration of the following specification when read in conjunctionwith the appended drawings, in which:

Figure l is an outboard side elevation of a device in accordance withthe present invention, showing in dotted lines a boat supported thereonin erect position;

Figure 2 is a left-hand end elevation of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end elevation similar to Figure 2 but showing the deviceoperated to a tilted position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical section taken through thelower part of the device;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 66 of Figure5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded perspective view of theadjustable supporting means for the device;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a portion of theframe of the device;

Figure 9 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line99 of Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of the adjustable supportingmeans.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 1designates, in general, a boat raising and tilting device comprising anormally vertical generally rectangular open frame 2 which includes apair of spaced parallel vertically extending channel side members 3having inner and outer side flanges 7 and 8', respectively. A horizontalangle iron cross member 4 (see Figures 1 and 8) extends between and issecured as by weldings 5 to the side members 3 adjacent the upper endsthereof.

A horizontal tubular cross member 6 extends between and is secured tothe lower ends of the side members 3, with the tube ends passing throughthe inner flanges 7' of the side members and abutting the outer flanges8', as by weldings 7 and 8, respectively (see Figure 6).

A pair of upwardly converging angle iron braces 9, 19 have their lowerends Welded at 11 (see Figure 8) to the upper ends of the side members 3and their upper ends welded together at 12 (see Figure l) and to avertically elongated lever 13 intermediate the ends thereof.

The lever 13 extends at right angles to the angle cross member 4 and itslower end welded at 14 (Figure l) thereto. The upper end of the lever 13is provided with a pivotally connected ring 15 to which one end of aline 16 is secured.

A pair of normally horizontal angle iron support arms 17, 18 have theirinboard ends secured to the lower ends of the side members 3, as byweldings 19, and project laterally and outboardly therefrom atsubstantially right angles thereto. A horizontal longitudinal keel stopbeam 20, preferably formed of wood, overlies and extends between theoutboard ends of the support arms 17, 18 and is fixed suitably thereto.

Vertically adjustable mounting means is provided for the frame 2 andcomprises a plurality of vertically spaced inboardly declining notches21 formed and opening through the inboard edges of the flanges of theside members 3 for selective engagement with a pair of trunnions 22, 23(see Figures 1 and 7) between heads 24 welded at 25 on the laterallyinward ends of and the vertical flanges 26' of angle iron mounting arms26 Whose horizontal flanges 27 bear upon the top 36 of a pier or thelike 30 and are pivotally secured by pivot pins 28, 29 thereto so as toproject outboardly beyond the outboard end of the pier 30.

A hook 31 is pivotally connected to an eye-bolt 32 fastened to the top30' of the pier 30 in such a position as to be engageable around thelever 13 when the lever is in the tilted position shown in Figure 4.

In use, with a boat 33 resting upon the support arms 17 and 18 with itskeel 34 against the inboard side of the keel stop 2t} and the inboardside of the boat bearing against the frame 2, the device can be operatedto raise and tilt the boat 33 by pulling in an inboard direction on thecable 16, which is preferably trained under a pulley 35 secured to thetop 3t? of the pier 31) at some distance inboardly from the hook 311,until the lever 13 is in a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 4,overlying the pier 36 and with the frame 2 in a vertical position. Inthis tilted position of the device the boat 33 is tilted toward the pier30 to drain water therefrom and to permit inspection and repair of theboat.

The frame 2 is initially adjusted for height relative to the pier 30 andthe depth of the bottom 36 of the boat 33 afloat in the water 37 belowthe top 3b of the pier 39 by engaging suitable ones of the notches 21with the mounting arm trunnions 22, 23 after first disengaging thetrunnions, if necessary, from others of the notches, to place thesupport arms 17, 18 under the bottom 36 of the boat 33, whereupon theboat is maneuvered into the position on the device described above.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention indetail, it will be understood that the same is offered by way of exampleand that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a pier having a top surface and an outboard end, apair of laterally spaced horizontal mounting arms resting upon said topsurface, said mounting arms having inboard ends pivotally secured to thepier to swing on vertical axes crosswise of the top surface of the pierand free outboard ends normally projecting outboardly beyond theoutboard end of the pier, horizontal trunnions on and projectinglaterally inwardly from the outboard ends of the mounting arms, and anormally vertical boat supporting frame normally positioned outboardlyfrom the outboard end of the pier, said frame having vertical sidemembers having inboard sides, and vertically spaced inboardly decliningnotches in said side members opening through the inboard sides thereof,said trunnions being laterally engaged in selected notches.

2. In combination, a pier having a top surface and an outboard end, apair of laterally spaced horizontal mounting arms resting upon said topsurface, said mounting arms having inboard ends pivotally secured to-thepier to swing on vertical axes crosswise of the top surface of the pierand free outboard ends normally projecting outboardly beyond theoutboard end of the pier, horizontal trunnionslon and projectinglaterally inwardly from the outboard ends of the mounting arms, and anormally" vertical boat supporting frame normally positioned outboardlyfrom the outboard end of the pier,'s'aid- 'frame having vertical sidemembers having inboard sides, and vertically spaced inboardly decliningnotches in said side members opening through the inboard sides thereof,said trunnions being laterally engaged in selected notches, anupstanding vertical 'member on and rising from said frame, and anoperating cable trained along the" pier and having an outboard endsecured to an upper portion of said upstanding member and adapted to bepulled in an inboard direction to tilt the frame toward the pier.

3. In combination, a pier having a top surface and an outboard end, apair of laterally spaced horizontal mounting arms resting upon said topsurface, said mounting arms having inboard ends pivotally secured to thepier to swing on vertical axes crosswise of the top surface of the pierand free outboard ends normally projecting out boardly'beyond theoutboard end of the pier, horizontal trunnions on'and projectinglaterally inwardly from the outboard ends of the mounting arms, and anormally vertical boat supporting frame normally positioned outboardlyfrom the outboard end of the pier, said frame having vertical sidemembers having inboard sides, and vertically spaced inboardly decliningnotches in said side members opening through the inboard sides thereof,said trunnions being laterally engaged in selected notches, said framefurther comprising outboardly projecting boat supporting arms on saidside members and having outboard ends, and a horizontal boat keel stopbeam extending between and secured on the outboard ends of thesupporting arms. 7

4. In combination, a pier having a top surface and an outboard end, apair of laterally spaced horizontal mounting arms resting upon said topsurface, said mounting arms having inboard ends pivotally secured to thepier to swing on vertical axes crosswise of the top surface of the pierand free outboard ends normally projecting outboardly beyond theoutboard endof the pier, horizontal trunuions on andprojecting'laterally inwardly from the outboard ends of the mountingarms, and a normally vertical boat supporting frame normally positionedoutboardly from the outboard end of the pier, said frame having verticalside members having inboard sides, and vertically spaced inboardlydeclining notches in said side members opening through the inboard sidesthereof, said trunnions being laterally engaged in selected notches, an.

upstanding vertical tmember on and rising from" said frame, and anoperating cable trained along the pier and having an outboard endsecured to an upper portion of said upstanding member and adaptedto bepulled in an inboard direction to tilt the frame toward the. pier,

and a pulley secured to the top surface of the pier under which saidcable is trained.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS V IWebster Mar. 8, 1898

